


Leapt

by whiteroses77



Category: Batman - All Media Types, Smallville
Genre: Friends to Lovers, M/M, Temporary Character Death, Time Skips
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-04
Updated: 2019-01-18
Packaged: 2019-10-04 08:43:49
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 8,046
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17301497
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/whiteroses77/pseuds/whiteroses77
Summary: The Justice League goes on a mission, and Bruce finds himself caught up in a heart leaping trip of evaluation that changes his and Clark’s relationship.





	1. Chapter 1

TITLE: Leapt 1  
PAIRING: Clark/Bruce  
AUTHOR: Whiteroses77  
WORD COUNT: 2,673  
DISCLAIMER: I only own the story.  
SUMMARY: The Justice League goes on a mission, and Bruce finds himself caught up in a heart leaping trip of evaluation that changes his and Clark’s relationship.

~B~

In the monitor room of the Watchtower, with everyone’s attention on him, Batman pointed to the main screen. “This is where we believe the generator is located; our first objective is to make sure it doesn’t get activated. Our second objective is to recover the assembly, so we can study it, reverse engineer it, and see if we can make it work for us.”

His teammate, Wonder Woman queried, “And if it’s already powered on when we get there, after all we’re not striking straightaway.”

It was Superman who replied, “That’s because I want to make sure there’s no chance of innocent people getting hurt.”

Aquaman commented, “This lab is in the middle of nowhere; anyone who’s around that thing, aren’t innocent.”

Batman stated, “Even so, we go tonight.”

Superman gave him a stoic nod of agreement and solidarity. 

The meeting ended. Everyone went on their way knowing that tonight; they were going to reassemble for the mission. His teammate lingered for a moment, and said, “Thanks for the support before.”

Batman concurred, “You were right, Clark, after everything we’ve seen, and been through, things are never that simple.”

Superman nodded, “You can say that again, mind control, blackmail, even scientists who have been deceived into thinking they’re on the right side.”

He turned the display screen off, and then mused, “People should know by now, if Superman turns up to stop the project, they’re working for the bad guys.”

His friend smiled brightly and then raised a taunting eyebrow, “Was that a spontaneous compliment? I am honoured.”

Batman harrumphed, “This is exactly why I keep my compliments to myself.”

Superman chuckled, “Well thanks for it anyway.”

He pinched his lips together to stop himself from smiling. His friend eyed him knowingly. Batman groaned, “Go on back to work, I’ll see you later.”

~*~

That night, they made a path through the secret lair to the lab, except it wasn’t that secret; the big building was a decommissioned power station that used to be run by coal. A new high tech nuclear plant had been built across the state, taking people and jobs with it and leaving this area as a ghost town, abandoned and forgotten.

That was until the Watchtower sensors had picked up an energy trace in the area. Energy that definitely wasn’t coal or even nuclear based. The signature though powerful was small and it told the scientists of the Justice League that it hadn’t been powered on yet, and it was probably idling. However, if it wasn’t, it was lucky the surrounding area had been abandoned already.

Though Batman and Superman both had scientific knowledge, they weren’t the experts in this area for this particular mission, so they along with Wonder Woman, Aquaman, and others were playing backup and support on this mission. 

Most of the others were outside securing the boundaries. Superman and Batman were checking the building for civilians. They walked in silence, until Superman commented, “That was unexpected earlier, but really nice.”

Batman narrowed his eyes in confusion, and then he remembered the whole thing with the compliment. He sighed, “I guess it was, but… well it’s easy with you.”

His friend grinned and said wryly, “I know that everyone else thinks that you’re hard work, but you know I’ve always liked you, Bruce.”

His quirked lips, “Thanks.”

Superman chuckled, “I guess I must like hard work.”

Batman turned and half-heartedly glowered at his teammate. Superman met his gaze, then his friend swallowed hard, and then he watched himself reach out and run his fingertip over Batman’s armour covered chest. In bemusement, Batman looked down and watched it too. Then he looked up and Superman met his gaze again. 

He would’ve called that look smouldering, if it was delivered by anyone other than Clark Kent. He found that he didn’t know how to respond to it, he asked quietly, “Clark…?”

Whatever was happening right now couldn’t be responded to as just then a call came over the commlink. “Code one, we just tripped the ignition sequence, everyone evacuate the area.”

Superman returned to business, and answered, “Ray, can you deactivate it?”

“That’s a negative; it’s going to go off.” Atom returned.

Batman wondered, “Can you get rid of it, Atom?”

The sound of Ray Palmer swallowing echoed down the line, “Its alien metal, I haven’t got the strength to lift it.” They could hear the doubt in their teammate’s voice. “I could try going in and rearranging the molecules except I won’t know what I’m looking at, and there’s not really any time.”

Then Superman straightened his shoulders, and said with determination, “Get out of there, Ray, I’m on my way.”

Batman saw Superman poise for super-speed, and Batman grasped his shoulder, “I’m going with you.”

“Bruce.” his friend was about to argue, he could tell.

Silently, he glared at him, and Superman winced. Then he grasped Batman’s shoulder, and then the next thing he saw was the alien generator in front of them. It was small compared to anything that powerful on Earth. It was glowing whiter and whiter by the second. They heard their teammates heading in the other direction. Superman glanced back at him, “Tell me this thing hasn’t any fallout.”

Batman told him all he knew, “As far as we can tell it’s clean.”

Superman nodded, and then he grabbed the generator, almost fumbled it, and met Batman’s gaze, saying, “Heavier than it looks.”

Then with a firmer hold, he launched himself through the roof and into the sky. Blinking past the dust and debris, Batman’s gaze followed him up and up. He saw the explosion miles above. And for a second, he was relieved the problem had been contained, until a gust of energy funnelled straight down. 

As it hit him, he was thrown to the ground unconscious.

~*~

He came to feeling groggy and muzzy as if he’d been sleeping instead of being knocked out. He groaned, and turned over, and he felt the softness of a mattress. He opened his eyes to see a fluffy white pillow. Then his range of focus expanded, and he saw an expanse of lightly golden flesh. As he realised his own nakedness under the sheets, he saw that expanse of maleness rise and fall with easy breaths. Bruce swallowed hard, as he saw his bed mate’s face. 

He looked peaceful and angelic in his sleep. His black hair was tousled, his full lips were open a touch, his eyelashes were highlighted lushly by the sunshine coming in through the window, and his skin glowed under the solar rays. 

His mind skipped back through his own thoughts, and he turned towards the window. It was daytime, the last thing that he remembered happened at night. Something had happen, he didn’t know what, but something bad had happened.

He began the manoeuvre to get out of bed, but suddenly a powerful arm looped around his waist, and he was pulled by the irresistible force back into bed, with his back snuggled against his warm broad naked chest. Full lips mouthed sleepily against his shoulder, “Where do you think you’re running off to?”

He was motionless within his friend’s toasty warm embrace. Despite the odd situation, it felt nice being held in strong cuddling arms. He winced at his own feelings. He muttered over his shoulder, as way of explanation, “It’s morning.”

Sleepily, Clark chuckled, and kissed his shoulder, “So, it’s not like you have to get up for work, playboy.”

He rolled his eyes at Clark’s taunting tone; he was used to it, but not in this intimate position. God, he couldn’t even remember, how they got in this position. There was a little voice in the back of his mind telling him to stay where he was, and just enjoy this closeness however… then he felt something warm, hard, and growing pressed against his ass cheek. Feeling antsy, he tried again, “I just need to use the…” he glanced over his shoulder fleetingly, “…big boys’ room.”

His friend laughed heartily, kissed his shoulder again, and then released him. Bruce slipped out of bed. He saw his boxer shorts on the bedroom floor, reached for them and slipped them on. From the bed, Clark teased, “Oh my, modesty, after last night.”

Bruce met his gaze, and he saw Clark’s relaxed muscled torso stretched out on the bed, he was still half under the covers, but there was an air of boldness about him that Bruce wasn’t used to. At his valuation of him, Clark smiled brightly at him. 

He blinked as he recognised the familiar smile and then went to the bathroom, and he really did use the toilet. Afterwards, as he washed his hands, he gazed at himself in the mirror. What the hell had happened? He remembered the accident at the power station but then nothing. How the hell had he ended up at Clark’s apartment, in his friend’s bed.

It wasn’t that there wasn’t an attraction to his friend, because Bruce knew there was, always had been but it had never been acted on. Actually, he’d never contemplated acting on it. With his façade and his work, he didn’t have time. The time he spent on his friendship with Clark wasn’t much compared to normal people, and he didn’t go out of his way to initiate it. Clark was the one who did that but he always enjoyed their time together, always looked back on those times fondly. 

His friendship with Clark was more important than attraction - he remembered Clark smiling at him from the bed - or sex for that matter. He wasn’t wanting in that department, so why go there with his trusted friend.

However, somehow, it had happened, and Bruce needed to figure out how it had happened.

~*~

He returned to the bedroom to find Clark gone. He heard the sound of the radio coming from the kitchen. He could tell from Clark’s behaviour that he wasn’t experiencing this anomaly or whatever this thing was. He really didn’t want to hurt Clark’s feelings by telling him that he didn’t remember what happened between them. 

He found his own jeans and slipped them on. He was experienced in slipping away after an encounter, without insulting his date. He saw his shirt on the floor, but for the moment, he left it there. He left the bedroom, shirtless and shoeless with only his jeans on.

Just as Bruce had suspected Clark was in the kitchen, humming to a song on the radio, making coffee and breakfast. He detected the aroma of pancakes.

It would be obvious if you actually thought about it that the gentlemanly Mr Kent would be a good host the morning after. He was wearing a white t-shirt and blue pyjama bottoms. His hair was still messy and his feet were also shoeless. It was kind of adorable.

There was an aura of lightness about him as he busied himself, obviously happy this morning.

When he heard Bruce’s footfalls, Clark glanced up from what he was doing. Slowly, his gaze checked out Bruce’s naked torso, down to his jeans, to his bare feet and back up again. Then he said huskily, “Hi.”

It was one simple word, but Bruce saw and felt the glare of the world of emotions behind that one word. Casually, he smiled back, “Hi.”

His friend blinked slowly, and then he offered, “Coffee?”

“Sure.”

Clark flashed a grin, and turned and poured Bruce some coffee. He proudly put the mug on the kitchen counter for him. Then he shrugged, “Didn’t have time for the machine to warm it up, so I used a little.” He squinted meaningfully and playfully.

Understanding what he meant, Bruce reached for the mug, “I’m sure it’ll be even better then.”

His friend chuckled, “More compliments, wow.”

He remembered only yesterday, their conversations… damn he was assuming it was yesterday. He cleared his throat and probed, “Hell of a day yesterday.”

Clark returned to cooking their breakfast, “Well, we have been through worse, but yeah.”

“Well it’s not every day that I get knocked out.”

His teammate turned, and met his gaze. He tilted his head playfully, “Is that a metaphor…” Clark approached him, then he reached out, and he traced Bruce’s bare chest with his finger, “Are you saying, this…” He murmured, “…this thing between us, KO’d you?”

A tingle went from Clark’s finger all the way down to Bruce’s crotch. He licked his lips, and he said gravelly, “Yeah, I wasn’t expecting it at all.”

Clark was smouldering at him again, as he murmured, “You weren’t expecting it; I wasn’t expecting it. But Bruce, it was always there wasn’t it, but I never thought you’d…” he glanced down shyly.

Bruce was on edge, he didn’t want to hear that it was he who had made the first move. He could see in Clark’s eyes that whatever had happened between them, his friend had fallen for him hard. How was he supposed to tell him, that he wasn’t on the same page, that what he felt for his friend wasn’t comparable to what he saw in those expression filled eyes?

He reached out and he caressed Clark’s cheek, and when his friend met his gaze, Clark leaned in and pressed his lips to Bruce’s. With care of Clark’s feelings, Bruce brushed his lips against Clark’s slowly. It wasn’t enough to cause a spark to ignite but it was nice. When Clark’s hands reached for him, Bruce backed off and urged softly, “Let me try some of this farmhouse cooking.”

Clark stopped mid reach, but the bright smile returned. “Have a seat.”

With a genuine smile, Bruce picked up his mug of coffee, and he carried it over and took a seat at the small dining table. He took a sip of coffee while he waited for his breakfast. Then he noticed the Daily Planet lying there. He reached out and picked it up. For a second, he was aware of how homely and domestic this scene was. He shook his head and then he checked the date. It confirmed that this was indeed the morning after the mission at the power station.

The question was how he’d forgotten twelve hours.

“Batman, are you listening.” He heard someone say.

He blinked and turned around and stared in shock.

~*~

He was standing in the landing dock of the Watchtower. The team were all here. He glanced down and saw he was wearing the Batsuit. 

Aquaman was standing with him and saying, “I still think we should have a backup plan, a way to destroy the generator if we have to.”

He took a breath. This was before the mission. This was yesterday. He turned quickly, searching for Clark. He saw Superman a few feet away, talking to Atom. 

“Batman?” Aquaman urged.

He took another breath, remembering the explosion, and considering the unlikely outcome that he seemed to be caught up in. He told Aquaman, “Destroying it is a dangerous proposition; we’ll just have to make sure not to rush into things.”

He glanced back towards Superman. He knew at this moment in time, nothing had happened between them yet, they were just good friends. Then as if sensing his attention on him, Superman glanced around, and met his gaze. There in those eyes, he saw the fondness that he always saw in his friend’s eyes. Then Clark blinked slowly, and then a small shy smile touched his lips. Then he turned back to Ray and continued talking.

Batman breathed shakily. That look in his eyes, those feelings, kindling just waiting to be ignited. Damn, it was already too late; however, it wasn’t too late to stop himself from starting that fire.

 

To be continued


	2. Chapter 2

TITLE: Leapt 2/3  
PAIRING: Clark/Bruce  
AUTHOR: Whiteroses77  
WORD COUNT: 2,754  
DISCLAIMER: I only own the story.  
SUMMARY: Bruce begins to see things differently.

~B~

As the team flew to the mission site in the javelin, Batman closed his eyes. He tried to weigh up his options. He knew he’d been caught inside some sort of temporal loop. Well it wasn’t a loop, things weren’t repeating, instead he seemed to be bouncing around from one point to another within… well so far within a twelve hour period. He remembered the incident, being hit by the energy from the alien generator exploding. After a visit to tomorrow morning, he was now back here, before the mission. He could only assume he was here to change the outcome of that mission.

He didn’t consider telling his teammates about the temporal anomaly, it was his problem he’d deal with it. They’d just want to talk about it, and then they’d come up with the same plan, that he’d already thought of.

He sensed the rest of the League around him; he knew some would be hyped ready for the mission, while others would be mediating. Usually at a time like this, Superman would be gazing out the window, with a look of absolute thoughtful resolution on his face. He opened his eyes, and they found Superman. He wasn’t looking out the window as usual, he was looking at Batman thoughtfully instead.

Batman puffed out a steady breath and then closed his eyes again.

“Bruce… you’ve not fallen asleep out there have you?”

~*~

He opened his eyes, and he found himself sitting on a couch and he realised he was casually dressed, wearing a shirt and jeans. ‘Shit.’ he thought, he’d leapt again. 

He was called again, “Aren’t you coming?”

He followed the familiar voice. He found the bedroom was lit up by candles, and while standing in the doorway, his eyes took in the details. Then through the shadow and shade, his gaze found his friend with his shoulder leaning against the door jamb of his bathroom, his muscled arms crossed over his chest. Clark wore the blue pyjama bottoms that he remembered but now he was shirtless, and that muscled flesh, golden in the candlelight turned those pyjamas from adorable into something much more. Bruce breathed, “Damn.”

Clark’s eyes shone in the soft yellow glow of the candles, then he pushed himself off the door jamb with his powerful shoulder, and then he walked towards Bruce. He said huskily, “I hope the candles aren’t too much.”

Bruce’s skin felt prickly, and he felt the rush of adrenaline in his system. He gulped, “The candlelight is nice.”

His friend smiled in response.

This wasn’t the plan. He was going to stop this. His friend reached for his hand, and then led him towards the bed that he remembered waking up in. 'God this wasn’t the plan.' he thought even as he followed him.

Standing next to the bed, Clark leaned in to initiate a kiss, but Bruce evaded him at the last instant, his friend smiled, and whispered against Bruce’s cheek, “You seem unsure all of a sudden.”

Something quivered inside him, feeling the tickle of warm breath and soft lips against his cheek, and he confessed, “I am, I don’t know how we got here.”

His friend chuckled softly, “It might have something to do with you asking to come home with me.”

He swallowed hard, “I did, and you said yes?”

His friend looked giddy but so turned on as he requested, “Do something now you’re here.”

Bruce gazed at Clark’s mouth and asked lowly, “What do you want me to do?”

“Lay down on the bed.” he suggested. Then Clark leaned in and Bruce wasn’t quick enough to evade him. Their lips met, Clark groaned, and kissed him again. Feeling his friend’s soft lips so needy, Bruce opened his mouth, and Clark’s tongue dipped inside. In response, Bruce moaned, and his tongue met his quickly before retreating. 

Clark echoed his moan and then pulled away and gazed at him. Then eagerly, Clark’s fingers were unbuttoning Bruce’s shirt, spreading the material, and pushing it from Bruce’s muscular shoulders. Bruce’s mind was fighting his instincts; his body was reacting to what was happening here in this bedroom. His sense of right and wrong was at war. He felt like if he let something happen here that it would be underhanded, and he would be using his friend, but on the other hand, Clark was so eager for this, he knew there was no internal struggle for his friend. Clark wanted this, wanted him.

When Clark’s fingers deftly opened Bruce’s fly, Bruce shivered, and he groaned softly, “Fuck.”

He saw his friend smile in reaction, and then he tugged Bruce’s jeans and they fell around his thighs. Then Clark’s fingers caressed Bruce’s chest, just as they’d done before. Again, Clark watched his fingers touching him, and without looking up, his friend whispered, “Lay down.”

Bruce’s body shuddered with growing awareness. Then he let his curiosity take over everything, he stepped out of his shoes and jeans and then he got on the bed and he lay back with only his black boxer shorts on. He saw Clark’s nostrils flare, and then Clark moved slowly and deliberately, he crawled onto the bed. Bruce admired the play of muscle as he did so. Those soft lips pressed a kiss to his thigh, and then Clark nosed the front of Bruce’s boxer shorts and then traced over them with those lips. Bruce’s cock responded to that delicate touch. 

Then Clark glanced up and he met Bruce’s gaze with attentive eyes, and then he kissed his belly just above his waistband. Then he bowed his head and he kissed Bruce’s abdomen, soft but explorative kisses, feeling him and tasting him with his tongue. Bruce’s body trembled, and his cock grew from the sensation of pressing up against Clark’s chest. Then Clark crawled further, and licked his right nipple. Bruce’s breaths became breathless pleasure, and he mewed, “Shit, Clark.”

Clark’s tongue left his nipple, he met his gaze seriously and then his mouth was pressed to Bruce’s throat, and Bruce arched into it, and whined when Clark licked him. He was amazed at how good this was, how good Clark was, how good they were together. His friend hummed against his throat, and murmured, “You taste salty.”

Bruce laughed hoarsely, “I guess you don’t taste salty with you not sweating.”

His friend raised his face, and smiled, “I don’t know, I’ve never tasted myself.”

Spontaneously, Bruce dove in and licked Clark’s throat. His friend groaned loudly. Bruce's tongue left him, and he smacked his lips, smiled, and revealed, “No salt.”

“No?” Clark wondered.

He admitted, “No, but you taste good.”

He saw pride light up his friend’s face. Then Clark murmured, “Maybe you can devour me, after I’ve finished with you.”

That promise had his blood pooling lower and his ardour rising. Then with a groan, Clark kissed him quickly and when Bruce reflexively tried not to lose those lips, his friend flashed a teasing grin at him, and then returned to Bruce’s body. He wrapped his lips around Bruce’s left nipple. Bruce moaned, closed his eyes, and revelled in that sumptuous mouth.

By the time, Clark reached his boxer shorts again they were tented obscenely. Bruce’s gaze darted down as Clark growled quietly. Then Clark nosed and mouthed him again until his hard cock escaped his boxer shorts. His friend smiled wolfishly and met his gaze. “Impressive.”

Then Clark pulled Bruce’s boxer shorts all the way off, and tossed them over his shoulder and on the carpet where he’d found them in the morning.

He rumbled from deep in his chest, “You’ve lost your shyness.”

Clark nodded, “Well when I’m faced with such…” he glanced momentarily at Bruce’s erection, “…evidence, I don’t have to worry if I’m getting something wrong.” and then he licked slowly up Bruce’s length from balls to tip. His friend hummed and licked the head again, swirling his tongue around the glans. Bruce moaned desperately. Clark’s tongue left him, and he smiled, “You taste good.”

Bruce shook his head in awe. “Clark Kent is sucking my cock.”

His friend grinned cheekily, “We haven’t got to the sucking.” Bruce whimpered softly. Clark asked coyly, “Do you want me to suck your cock, B.” 

He knew he’d been always been attracted, knew he’d always liked him as a person and friend, but it was still a revelation to him. He said roughly, “Yes, Clark I want you to suck my cock.”

The cheekiness slipped slowly off Clark’s face, and was replaced with intense lust. Then Clark leaned forward and covered Bruce’s cock head with his lips. He applied subtle suction, and then he took more, holding his gaze and sucking slowly, and superbly. 

Bruce was astounded, he felt like it was the first time he’d ever had lips around his cock. It wasn’t the first time far, far from it, but it was as if all those other times, it had never been done right before. 

He was panting, his face creased with desire and incredulousness. Clark was still holding his gaze, as he pulled off slowly, licked his lips and then went down and took more, using his tongue, and worshiping his cock. Bruce’s thighs trembled, and he finally reached out and touched his friend. He cupped his head, threading his fingers through his soft silky hair. 

Clark pulled off slowly again, and with bruised lips he spoke in a lower octave, “Are you enjoying it?”

He replied throatily, “Oh baby, I haven’t got the words for how good you are.”

His friend licked the pre-come from the head of Bruce’s cock, then he licked his lips savouring it and he went down again, but this time he bobbed his head steadily, taking the length. Bruce cried out, and his fingers threaded through Clark’s hair tightened, “Oh, god yes.”

Clark moaned around him, his eyes smiled at him and then Bruce’s instincts took over his body and his hips rolled, as he began thrusting slowly into the warm, moist heaven. Clark’s eyes flared as Bruce slowly fucked his mouth, he moaned and continued sucking him with precision. 

God it was too much, too good. He was perspiring, his body was racked with tension and he was gasping and grunting in unabashed pleasure. He grasped Clark’s head with his both hands and he bucked up into his mouth with passionate torment. 

Way too soon, he growled softly, “I’m coming, fuck Clark, I’m coming.”

His friend echoed his growl, and it vibrated around his cock, and he kept on sucking. Just before he went off Bruce cried, “Oh Clark, shit yes.” Then he was surging into Clark’s mouth, his body shuddering with pleasure. 

Through dazed eyes, he watched his friend swallow and swallow until Bruce’s body stilled. Then as he was still gasping for air, Clark pulled off with a hum and a pop. Clark sat up on his haunches. He watched Clark beam down at him, and then with his thumb he wiped a smudge of come from his lips and sucked his thumb into his mouth.

Bruce groaned still recovering, still in awe. His gaze found the impressive tent in Clark’s pyjamas, evidence of how much he’d enjoyed sucking Bruce off, but it was also evidence of his own unsatisfied state. Bruce laughed lightly, and wiped perspiration from his brow. “I’m sorry I came that fast, it was fantastic.”

Taking in the sheen of sweat covering his naked body; Clark gazed at him with a raised eyebrow, “Well you look fantastic.”

He breathed deeply still trying to catch his breath, he groaned, “Just give me a minute.”

Clark leaned in over him and murmured, “We don’t need a minute.” Then he kissed him, Bruce groaned tasting his own come in Clark's mouth, and he sucked Clark's tongue hungrily. Clark devoured his mouth in return.

Before he knew what was happening, he was being flipped over.

Bruce groaned shakily into the pillow as his friend spread his ass cheeks. When Clark’s divine mouth met his asshole, he laughed hoarsely, “Oh my god.” He told him. "Make sure you do a good job down there." 

“Oh, I intend to.” Clark mumbled against him.

Bruce gripped the pillow and closed his eyes in pleasure.

Clark murmured, “I guess I like hard work.”

~*~

Bruce felt dizzy suddenly and he glanced around and he found himself in the corridor of the power plant again.

Then Superman reached out to Batman’s chest again, and watched his finger play there. When he gazed at him, he was smouldering at him. Bruce remembered the first time that he’d seen that look in Clark’s eyes, he’d been surprised by it, not knowing how to respond to it. But now he knew and he was excited by what those eyes were promising him. A promise too wonderful to turn his back on, one he wasn't planning to ignore ever again. 

“Clark.” he murmured.

Then Batman stilled in trepidation, he knew what was coming. He grasped Superman’s hand from his chest and he ordered, “Go to where Atom is right now.”

Superman’s eyes widened at the command, just as the commlink beeped, “Code one…”

His friend asked, “Are you coming?”

This time Batman shook his head, “No. You go and deal with it.”

Superman nodded with determination, and blurred out of sight.

Batman swallowed hard. If he’d been caught in a time loop as he thought he had, to fix it he had to take himself out of the equation, so he wasn’t there in the blowback from the explosion.

He heard the call to evacuate, and stoically he headed for the exit. Feeling all a flutter, he was actually considering asking his friend out on a date when the mission was over.

Before he got outside, suddenly he heard the explosion, but this time, he felt it too. It rocked the whole building. He realised with dread that Superman hadn’t or didn’t have chance to fly it out of there. 

With something like hysteria building inside him, he turned around and he ran to the site of the explosion. There were smoke, dust, and debris everywhere, and in the middle of it was Superman's tattered body. Batman shook his head with horror and he scrambled over the destruction. He pulled Superman into his arms, “Clark!”

He gazed down into his beloved face. He caressed his cheek with his gloved hand. His friend blinked slowly when he saw him, and breathed, “Bruce.” on his last breath.

Then he watched those clear expressive beautiful eyes dim until they stared up at nothing.

The anger and despair welled up inside him, so much, too much, he felt like he was going to scream with the agony. But when the words left his mouth, they were small and pitiful, “Clark no, please.”

~*~

Batman stood by the window in the conference room and stared out at space. He hadn’t spoken since the rest of the Justice League had found him cradling Superman’s lifeless body. Everyone was in shock, the more capable members of the team had arranged for the moving of the body to the javelin, and when they got back to the Watchtower, they had taken it to sick bay. Dr Hamilton had rushed about for a while trying everything he could to save the already empty shell. But Bruce knew it was too late.

Behind him, everyone was talking, trying to figure out what had happened. Bruce knew how it had happened, he remembered the first time, Superman evacuating everyone, except Batman, and then checking with him if there would be any fallout. He hadn’t gone with him because he’d wanted to avoid the time loop, so Clark hadn’t known if there would be danger in letting it explode in the sky. So the stupid selfless… hero had taken the blast.

It shouldn’t have hurt the invulnerable hero, but the generator had been alien, it turned out the radiation was a little too close to the composition of Kryptonite. Harmless to humans but combined with the blast deadly to Kryptonians.

Everyone was hoping that Clark’s healing factor would kick in.

He couldn’t hope, not when it had been his fault. To save himself he’d sent Clark in alone. He stared out into space, and prayed for another bounce through time, prayed he hadn’t fixed the anomaly.

 

To be continued


	3. Chapter 3

TITLE: Leapt 3/3  
PAIRING: Clark/Bruce  
AUTHOR: Whiteroses77  
WORD COUNT: 2,624  
DISCLAIMER: I only own the story.  
SUMMARY: Losing Clark has shaken Bruce.

~B~

Wearing the colour of mourning, with his cowl down, Bruce walked alone into the empty sickbay. He approached the empty shell that once housed Clark Kent, he reached out, and he traced the exquisite features. The struggle was over, and everyone else had given up and gone home. It had been hours, with no bounce to the past, hours of muted grief and regret. 

He’d lost his hope. 

He’d thought being caught in the time loop had been hell. How wrong he was. This was hell. Trapped between death and a future where he could move on. He remembered the echo of that tomorrow, hours after the accident, waking up comfy and warm, being pulled back into Clark’s strong but cuddly embrace, after a night of passion. 

It had scared him, not knowing how they’d gotten to that point so fast, and it scared him how right it had felt being with Clark, not just sexually but waking up with him too. 

With his voice breaking, he spoke, “It was the universe’s idea of a cruel joke wasn’t it? To show me that, make me want it, want you and then take you away.” he inhaled and exhaled, “You were my best friend, I never told you that. I guess I expected you just to understand it, to sense it.” He swallowed the lump in his throat, “I will miss you my friend, and I’ll miss what we could’ve been.”

He bowed his head, a tear trickled down his cheek, and he closed his eyes.

“Master Bruce, you must eat something.”

~*~

His breath caught, and he glanced up and met Alfred’s ticked off countenance. He glanced around the kitchen of Wayne Manor, and saw the food that Alfred had cooked for him. His hand flew to his mouth, and he gasped, “Oh my god.”

Alfred’s eyes widened, “You are not going to be sick, are you sir?”

He shook his head, "No." 

“Sir?”

Then he heard the kitchen door open, and the familiar voice said, “Have you got some of that for me, Alfred?”

The older man harrumphed, “Plenty, Mr Kent, with him eating like a sparrow.”

Bruce turned and stared at him, standing in his kitchen, wearing jeans, and a t-shirt and a smile on his face. A breath got caught in Bruce’s throat. He released his mouth, and a relieved smile lit up his face, because he might have another chance. Then Bruce sprang up, and he walked towards his friend, and wrapped his arms around him tightly. “Clark.” he sighed with relief and contentment.

His friend chuckled nervously, “What’s this all about?”

He could feel Clark’s unease through his body. He knew what he was doing was unheard of until today, but he didn’t want to let go. Then Clark’s hand began rubbing his back comfortingly, “Has something happened, Bruce?”

He breathed against the fabric covering his shoulder, “Missed you.”

His friend with super-hearing, heard him clearly, and replied, “You only saw me at the meeting this morning.”

He realised it was the afternoon before the mission. He felt overjoyed; determined that he was going to prevent Clark’s death. As his hug tightened, he felt the give in Clark’s body, as he went from accepting a hug to enjoying it, feeling it. 

After a few moments, he pulled back and looked him in the eye. He remembered the look that Clark had given him previously, the one that Bruce recognised as an ember of desire and need ready to ignite. 

Clark’s eyes now were softly curious. Not understanding Bruce’s behaviour but wanting to. After knowing the despair of losing him, Bruce leaned in slowly wanting to feel those lips again; but as he neared, Clark’s eyes widened with silent alarm. Then Bruce remembered Alfred’s presence. He backed away, but from the look in Clark’s eyes, he knew what Bruce had attempted, and he saw in those eyes surprise and the beginning of a tender curiosity.

He returned to the kitchen table, motioned Clark to another chair, and sat down. He said to Alfred, “Can my best friend and I get something to eat, we’ll be famished by the time the night’s over.”

Clark took a seat, and smiled at the title he’d been bestowed. Bruce smiled back. He found he was excited to spend time with his best friend. 

As they ate heartily, he revealed the information they’d received after the mission, “After more research, it… I’m almost positive that the generator we’re going after tonight is off-world. It seems one of the power station workers who lost their jobs when the power plant was closed has been visiting the site regularly.”

His teammate tilted his head thoughtfully, “Really… but where did he get the generator?”

Bruce nodded along, while eating some potato. He swallowed his mouthful. Then he said, “I don’t know, but with it being off-world you should be careful tonight, it could be as dangerous for you as the rest of us.”

Clark’s cheeks rounded as he smiled, and joked, “You think I’m going get myself blown up?” he shrugged nonchalantly, “I’ve been blown up before, it didn’t take.”

He winced slightly.

His friend watched him, and then narrowed his gaze and then he half smiled, “We’re backup tonight, aren’t we. I’m not going to be anywhere near to the thing.”

He knew he was probably breaking some law of time travel, not that this was time travel. Anyway, he didn’t care. He said, “Clark, promise me if things go wrong tonight, you’ll just get rid of it as fast as you can, toss it into orbit, and then get away from it.”

“Toss it… but what about fallout.”

With a shaky breath, he answered the question here and now so Clark didn’t have to waste a second wondering in the moment. “It’s clean, there’s no effect on humans.” Clark nodded along, but it wasn’t enough, Bruce urged, “Promise me that if something happens make sure you’ll be nowhere near it.”

He knew he was asking a lot, asking someone who always threw himself into danger to do as he was asked, and avoid danger. His friend gazed at him a long moment and then he uttered, “I promise.”

Bruce sighed with relief, met his friend’s eyes, and smiled. “Good, that’s good.”

“Tell me.” Clark said huskily.

~*~

He blinked, looking into those eyes, suddenly so close; his friend’s pupils were large, the colour of his irises was sparkling. Then Bruce realised his own nakedness. Then he felt the hot bare skin pressed against him, and the body warmed sheet at his back. He glanced around and recognised the candle lit bedroom. 

At his silence, Clark knelt up, and he brought Bruce up with him. Then he was hefted up into Clark’s powerful arms, instinctively to keep his balance, he grasped Clark’s broad shoulders, and his legs wrapped around his friend’s waist and he felt the head of Clark’s erection at his ass.

Clark’s smile was fierce, “Tell me.”

Damn, it was so strange to be in this position. A position he’d used himself, a position to show off strength, and to luxuriate in the feeling of a woman’s legs wrapped around you as you satisfied her. To be the one held so easily in position was humbling but when it was Clark Kent’s super powerful hold, it was exciting too. 

His friend damn, his lover growled under his breath at his continued silence, “Are you playing with me?”

At that tone, Bruce’s hard cock flexed against Clark’s toned abdomen, and in response Clark’s hips jerked. He realised his ass was relaxed and slick. He met his lover’s gaze, and he remembered the last time he was here, Clark rimming him. God, he felt relaxed down there, and knew Clark had done a very good job. He’d opened him up and then slicked him up and now his lover was waiting for his permission to enter him.

Even in the heat of passion, Clark was still a gentleman.

Then noticing his preoccupation, Clark murmured, “You’ve disappeared on me again.”

Bruce laughed, and shook his head, “No, I’m right here, baby.” He bowed his head even closer, and murmured, “Right where I want to be.”

Then Bruce took his best friend’s mouth, and gave him all the passion that Clark had brought to the surface during this incident. Clark let out a growly whinny noise and devoured his mouth in return. Then Bruce gave him that permission, Clark so desperately wanted, and growled into Clark’s mouth, “I want you Clark, inside me.”

One of Clark’s hands slid down Bruce’s naked back, and cupped an ass cheek, and then he pressed up into him. Bruce moaned into Clark’s mouth as he was opened up by his lover’s cock. His lover was big and he stretched him, but he was so relaxed that there wasn’t any pain at all. His panting lips left Clark’s, and he flung his head back in a silent cry of pleasure and fullness. 

His arched throat was like an offering and Clark took it, and kissed and tasted his flesh. His lover held him there in his arms and slowly and steadily thrust up into him, with passion and love. At that notion, his gaze found his lover’s. He remembered the ember he’d seen there before, and now it was before him, enflamed, all consuming and beautiful. 

He leaned and he kissed Clark slowly and deeply, and meaningfully. 

The kiss ended, and Clark’s brow creased and his eyes asked a question. ‘Is everything okay?’ they said.

Bruce smiled and he said profoundly, “Everything is how it’s meant to be.”

His lover leaned in and kissed him again, and then his hold changed, he held Bruce closer, and then he began thrusting harder, with more passion. Bruce held on, as he was filled with passion, desire, and love, panting his lover’s name into his ear like a mantra, like it was the secret to existence. “Clark.”

When he came, he saw a white light, and when he opened his eyes, he saw Superman reach out and run his finger over Batman’s armour covered heart

~*~

Realising he’d leapt through time again, Batman met his teammate’s smouldering eyes, he remembered the first time, not knowing how to react to that look coming from his best friend, but now it filled him with warmth and exhilaration. He sighed softly, “Clark.”

Then the commlink beeped and Batman cringed, knowing he’d let time slip through his fingers, the time to stop Atom from triggering the generator in the first place. He was back in the moment, as Superman told Atom, “Get out of there Ray, I’m on my way.”

Superman poised for super-speed, and Batman caught his arm, “I’m going with you.”

There was a moment as Superman gazed at him, and then suddenly, they’d moved and they were confronted by the glowing generator, about to explode. With his heart hammering in his chest, Batman ordered, “Toss it.”

His teammate’s jaw tensed, and then he grabbed the generator, and then he tossed it through the roof like a football. Their gazes watched it travel higher and higher. Then Batman shouted, “Move!”

Feeling as if everything was in slow motion, Superman was rooted to the spot still looking up, waiting for the spectacle of the explosion, Batman grasped his friend’s arm, and tugged, Superman’s gaze found him, and then everything sped up, and they dove out the way of the blow back. 

As they landed on the ground, Superman glanced back at the energy dispersing. He uttered, “I didn’t expect that…” 

Batman reached out and caressed his cheek, and Superman turned his face towards him. The look on Clark’s face transformed from slight confusion to knowingness as Bruce stared at him. Then Batman leaned in and he kissed his friend tenderly. He knew that to Clark it was their first kiss. As he pulled away, Superman was staring at him with awe, and then the bridge of his nose crinkled, and then Superman caressed Batman’s cheek and then leaned in and kissed him in return.

He sighed with contentment, and Superman’s lips left his and his friend was looking at him with a soft smile turning up the corners of his lips. Then they heard their teammates returning to find out what had happened. After saving his friend, the relief that he felt made Batman snigger softly, and then he pushed himself up from the ground. Superman followed him up, and then they turned to meet their team.

~*~

Later, aboard the javelin, as they made their way back to the Watchtower, Batman saw Superman looking out the window thoughtfully as usual. Batman smiled to himself and then took a seat next to him. He asked, “What do you think about when you look out there, are you wishing you were out there flying free yourself, or…”

Superman turned away from the window, and gave him a brief smile. “I got into the habit even before I could fly.”

“So what are you doing, when you look out there?”

His friend confided, “I contemplate the unknown. When I was a kid, I was the unknown, wondering where I came from, wondering what having my powers meant. Nowadays it’s wondering about the outcome of a mission or how I can make a difference in the world.” He said perceptively, “Today, I’m wondering what happened today that I don’t know about.”

Batman swallowed hard. It wasn’t easy to hide something from an investigative journalist who was also your best friend.

Superman continued, “The other part of gazing out there is the comfort in knowing where I am, and what I’ve got in my life. At first, it was on the farm, knowing that despite all those scary unknowns that I was safe on that farm with my mom and dad. Now it’s my backup at the newspaper that comforts me. Or being here in this plane, knowing I can count on and trust the people around me.”

“You want me to explain.” He concluded.

His friend smiled tightly, “You usually have all the answers, Bruce.”

“I work hard to try to.”

Gently, Superman began, “This is what I know, this morning you gave me an unsolicited compliment, and it was nice. Then later at your house, you hugged me as if you thought you wasn’t going to see me again, that was nice too. You keep spacing out, and you knew something was going to go wrong on the mission. Then you kissed me and it didn’t feel like a first kiss.”

He chuckled nervously, “That was nice too, right?”

His friend met his gaze, and shook his head, “No, it wasn’t nice.”

Batman swallowed hard. “I thought it was.”

Superman turned and gazed out the window again. 

His brow creased behind the cowl, and he asked, “What do you want to know, Clark?”

His friend tensed his jaw, and then turned to face him again, and then he tilted his head and leaned closer, licked his lips nervously, and then murmured, “I want to know what happens next.”

Bruce’s heart sped up, and his skin prickled with excitement and he leaned even closer, and revealed with a murmur, “You take me home with you tonight, and we spend the whole night in bed together.”

Clark’s eyes widened slightly, and then they closed slowly with a flutter of his eyelashes. He whispered with a smile touching his lips, “Do you want me to make you breakfast in the morning?”

Bruce whispered into his lover’s ear, “Yes, I do.”

 

The end


End file.
